wallabies vs all blacks ch 7 tonight 730

Haka will make Deans emotional

July 25, 2008 AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans fully expects to experience a whirlwind of emotions on Saturday night, but they will be overridden by a burning desire to lead Australia to victory over New Zealand.

Kiwi Deans' moment of truth will finally arrive in Australia's Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks at ANZ Stadium.

In the process he will seek to undo the man who got the job he'd initially wanted, All Blacks coach Graham Henry, and a host of his former Crusaders charges as he attempts to prolong Australia's revival since he took the reigns four Tests ago.

Asked how he would cope with the emotions when he hears the haka and the New Zealand national anthem, Deans said: "Well, hopefully.

"It will be a great occasion.

"I'll feel emotion, there's no doubt.

"I'd suggest everyone who's here will do that and probably even those who are watching on TV will.

"Hopefully the occasion will be such that there is an electricity in the air and that's fantastic, I'm looking forward to that."

But that's where any patriotism in Deans will end.

Asked if he was burning to orchestrate a Wallabies win over his homeland, Deans said: "Absolutely.

"It's no different to any other side to that end.

"Is this the biggest game? Well, it's the only game because it's Saturday.

"And that's the nature of this game, you thrive or survive week to week and hopefully you're excited about the next game and the next challenge because if you're not, you're in the wrong industry.

"I'm excited about it and obviously I'd much rather the group thrived than didn't thrive because it's not about me, it's about the group and I genuinely hope they do have a great experience and I will feel that, yes."

If it is conceivable that it's not about Deans, there are plenty of other intrigues as Australia seek to improve their record of six losses from their last seven clashes with New Zealand and win back the Bledisloe for the first time since 2002.

The battle of five-eighths Matt Giteau and Dan Carter will be hugely influential.

"They're not magicians, they're close to it but they've got to work within the parameters of the game and the opportunities that their teammates present them with," Deans said.

"One thing you can be sure of is they're both so able that they will have the ability and the wherewithal and the awareness to take what's on offer."

Asked if he could use his inside knowledge to stop Carter, he said: "You have ideas, we'll see how they run."

Also significant will be the emergence of league converts Ryan Cross as a starting outside centre and Timana Tahu as a reserve.

The pair could even form a centre partnership late in the match despite less than three years Super 14 experience between them, underlining Deans' belief in backing talent.

"Whether or when or how much time Timana gets we don't know as yet but it would be great if he does thrive when he gets that opportunity," Deans said.

The coach also backed half-back Luke Burgess, who expressed his own disappointment at an inconsistent passing game against South Africa last Saturday.

"A lot of people tend to focus on some of the things that don't happen on the field but some of the things he did do last week, he was remarkable," Deans said.

The talk this week has been about whether the All Blacks have lost their aura, while the Wallabies have won all four Tests under Deans, including a 16-9 defeat of world champions South Africa last week.

The coach said his side could now target the label of rugby's No.1 side.

"I don't thing they're daunted," he said.

"I think they're genuinely excited and you get genuinely excited when you anticipate a genuine challenge and there's no doubt that that's what they're going into.

"They're up against one of the best if not the best rugby sides in the world.

"They're aware of that but that also excites them and that's a challenge that they're looking forward to and they aspire to become that.

"They're getting a great opportunity on the weekend to stake a claim, I guess, to that sort of respect."